Month: February 2017

Whether you are busy with college classes, a job or both, you still need to make time for self care. Taking time to do something for you is a nice way to boost your health-mentally and even physically. Self care does not need to be difficult or time consuming, but it is a necessary part of our lives.

In this post, I am going to talk about how people with busy schedules can still maintain good self care. While it is harder when you have less free time, you also should not use that as an excuse for not practicing self care.

Here are some ways of practicing self care for busy people.

1. Schedule it.

If you are already super busy, putting self care in your weekly (or daily) schedule will help you to make time for it. Having a lot to do means that it can be easy to forget the small stuff. So write down in your planner the self care you plan to do.

Scheduling in self care can also help you get in the habit of it when you are starting out. It’s almost impossible to go full force into something, so having it written down can help you actually follow through.

2. Start with Something Easy.

If you have never given any self care before, it can be daunting. There are so many different ways to pamper yourself that you will probably be overwhelmed. Don’t let that deter you. Start by doing something small. Pick something that you know you will enjoy and that won’t take much time or effort.

That could mean ordering a small dessert with your meal or opting for a special solo date night. You could take a nice, relaxing bath or cook your favorite meal. There are loads of options for basic self care.

3. Do Something You Enjoy.

Self care does not need to be overly fancy or expensive. It doesn’t have to take a long time. So find something that you really enjoy and make it a point to do that thing regularly. It could be as simple as reading a book before bed or as complicated as a spa day. The point of self care is to do something that will make you feel better, whatever that may be.

4. You Don’t Have to Choose One Thing.

if multiple methods of self care interest you, then do all of them. some might be a daily activity while others would be better saved for once a week or once a month. You can do something small each day and save some of the bigger self care activities for the weekend or for when you have the time.

Self care is different for everyone, and it can vary from one week to the next for a single person. If something stops working, you can switch things up. As you have different stressors, different activities will calm that stress. Your first choice might not always work. So evaluation is important.

5. Listen to Yourself.

If you find that what you are doing to practice self care is no longer working, change it. Your body and its response to self care can tell you a lot about what you need to do to improve. If you have lost interest in reading every day, take a break. Find something else (an audiobook, perhaps?) to fill that time.

Also, if your first self care session doesn’t yield great results, keep at it. Figure out what worked and what didn’t so that you can have more success in the future.

6. Be Accountable.

You can set an alarm on your phone, write in your planner or have an accountability buddy to keep you on track. Self care is important to do more than just once or once every so often. It should be done regularly to get results.

Being accountable to yourself or a friend will motivate you to actually do what you say you are going to do. If you have a method of staying accountable, it will be much easier to not get off track.

7. You might Fail.

In the beginning, you might not know what kind of self care you need. That’s okay. Just know that you can do whatever you set your mind to. If self care is important to you, you will keep up with it.

There might be a day when you forget to read or a week where you don’t have the time to cook a nice meal. Don’t beat yourself up about it. But also, come back with a bigger desire to keep going.

8. It Can Fit Your Schedule.

Self care doesn’t have to take all day. You can treat yourself in less than thirty minutes, depending on what you choose to do. Being busy and leading an “on the go” life doesn’t mean that your needs come second to what else you have going on.

If you don’t take enough time for yourself, it could compromise your work. I know that’s the case for me. If I am constantly going and going, I will burn out. I will have to take a break, so I might as well make time for those breaks before they become urgent.

So…

Those are some of my tips for self care for busy people. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Do you take time to do something for you? What are your favorite ways to treat yo self? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@HannahHaefele)!

Thanks for reading!

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If you have a ton of different interests, you might be struggling to decide what you want to do with your life. I totally understand, and I still have those days, too. Choosing what you want to do every day is tough.

We are lucky enough to live in a world where you can do just about anything to make money. More and more people are starting their own businesses or working from home. New jobs show up regularly. We are doing things that couldn’t be done even a decade ago.

This post is going to show you how you can do what you love as a career without having to choose just one thing.

Start a Business

If you have multiple interests that all fall into a similar category, consider a business. If you love art and teaching, maybe you could start an art studio where you teach people to do what you do. As a musician and writer, I would love to write about music in addition to playing and teaching.

Write a list of everything you like to do and see if any overlap. If you have some unique ideas, you could be really successful! Self employment is scary for some, but it could lead to a more fulfilling life.

Find Multiple Part Time Jobs

If you don’t want to be your own boss, working different part time jobs could be a good option. You can find a job or two that focus on your different interests. Maybe one job is as a graphic designer and the other is a customer service position.

This choice might also be for you if your favorite things don’t quite overlap enough to make for one career. With part time jobs, you will lose out on certain benefits of full time employees, but it is a way to keep up with what you love.

Make One a Hobby

If you have a dominant interest that overpowers others, make those less important ones hobbies. Yes, it can be hard to give up your dream of being a rock star, but if something is not super realistic, keep it as a hobby or side hustle.

When picking a career, some sacrifice needs to be made. If you really want the stability of a single full time job, you might have to give up one or more of your career goals.

It’s tough giving up on an idea or dream to pursue another, but it’s one of those tough choices we all have to make at some point.

Side Hustles are Your Friend

When you have different interests but don’t want to quit everything, try something as a side hustle. When I graduate, music will not be my full time career. I know that I will have to spend my free time working to improve my skills and make a career out of it.

If that sounds like you, side hustling while working a day job could be a temporary solution. You can make some cash off of your passion while still being able to pay the bills.

Be Flexible

At the start of your career, things won’t always go as planned. You have to be prepared for things to go wrong. Maybe your business doesn’t take off. Maybe you don’t land your dream job. Or maybe you have to move back home.

We live in a world where many things are possible, but we all have to start somewhere. Even if that’s your parents basement. Just know that everything that happens is meant to be.

So…

Do you have multiple interests? What are your tips for creating a career? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@HannahHaefele)!

Thanks for reading!

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Happy Valentines Day! I am currently single, so I don’t have any special person as my valentine, but that is okay. This is my last semester in college, and I am happy to be able to focus on school and preparing for my future career.

In the spirit of Valentines Day, I decided to write a post about some of the things that I am loving at the moment. I have different shows, food and more on this list! I hope you have a great holiday and maybe you learned about a cool new product to try or show to watch!

Switched at Birth

This show has been on and off the air for awhile, but it just came back a few weeks ago. I have made the effort to catch up on episodes at home since I don’t have cable in my dorm, but you can watch all of the previous episodes on Netflix.

The show is great at exploring diversity, and there are different characters, so everyone can relate to someone on the show. There are also quite a few deaf characters, so sign language is common. It’s a great motivator to actually watch the show instead of being on Twitter at the same time!

A Series of Unfortunate Events

These were some of my favorite books as a kid, and a new series was just released on Netflix last month! I binge-watch all of the episodes in a couple of days. Neil Patrick Harris plays Count Olaf, the series villain. Also, Patrick Warburton (Kronk from the Emperor’s New Groove) is the narrator.

The entire season is eight hour long episodes, so you don’t need a ton of time to watch it. If you love mysteries, light horror or reliving your childhood, this show is for you.

Popeyes

I’m not a huge fan of fried chicken, but I love Popeyes! They have awesome chicken tenders with amazing breading! I also love their mashed potatoes, and the biscuits are to die for!

I make sure to fill my Popeyes craving every time I go home, because my college town isn’t lucky enough to have one. But it’s definitely one of my top favorite restaurants.

KFC just can’t compete!

My Schedule

I really lucked out with my class schedule this semester. All of my classes happen in the afternoon, so I can ease into the day most of the time.

I do like to get out early and practice music when I can, that way it’s not hanging over me. Music is not something that stresses me out, but it still takes time, and I like to make a dent in the requirement when I can.

My Job

Last semester, I started working as an opinion writer for my school’s paper. I am able to go to weekly meetings then write my weekly opinion piece on my own time (before the deadline, of course!).

I’ve also met some people through the paper, and I love getting to express my thoughts and get paid! I know that not all colleges pay their student writers, but if you like to write, it’s worth looking into!

So…

What are your current favorites? Have you tried anything on this list? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@HannahHaefele)!

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For this part of my “On an iPad” series, I decided to write about social media. Most of the time I spend on social media is on my iPad. The wide variety of apps make it easy to keep up with different social networks on the go.

I have the same method for social media on an iPad as on my iPhone, and so I am going to be referencing both devices throughout this post. Social media is great to view/use on an iPad, and I actually prefer it to my laptop.

Apps

There is an app for almost every social media platform. I use Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest each day. If you follow blogs with Bloglovin (which I don’t recommend), they have an app.

You can use the Instagram app for iPhone on an iPad, but it will show some blank parts on the screen since the iPhone and iPad have different dimensions. Another app that I like to use, though it’s not really a social network, is YouTube. I follow vloggers on there, and I like to watch videos on my iPad.

I also like to use my iPad and iPhone to manage my social media. For this, I use apps like Hootsuite and Buffer to schedule posts. I also have the app version of Canva, a graphic design website. That way, I can create graphics for social media posts on the go.

If you are looking for apps to help manage or use your social media, a simple search in the app store is a great way to find cool apps. There are apps that will allow you to do just about anything.

Some people use the Crowdfire app to track followers and unfollowers. I know that you can have different apps to manage Facebook groups and pages, too.

How I Work

I like to schedule tweets, usually the night before they go out live. I use either Hootsuite or Buffer. Depending on my goals for the next day, I will chose one or the other. Buffer comes with a set schedule, whereas Hootsuite (the app version) saves hashtags I use in scheduled posts.

If you want me to do a full comparison, let me know!

For Facebook, I just use the main app. They do have separate apps for pages and groups, but I only have so much space for apps.

I like to use main apps, like Facebook or Twitter, to reply to people in real time. Scheduling retweets works for some, but I like to do it as I go. It makes me seem more human and less machine.

Does it Work?

YES! Using a phone or tablet for social media is amazing. A lot of social media networks have better mobile interfaces than their website counterparts.

Social media is always changing and being updated, and it is super important to stay up to date. Having access to your favorite social networks on the go is a necessity, and it is easy with the different apps out there.

Of course, you don’t want to get too sidetracked with social media. If you need to get some “real” work done, you need to keep yourself off of Twitter and Instagram. You can always check in during a work break.

Should You Get Social?

Unless you have no space left on your device for new apps (and you can’t bear the thought of deleting anything), you should definitely have at least a couple of your social media accounts ready to go. Social media apps make staying connected super easy.

If you spend a lot of time on your phone, it can be easy to get distracted with social media. You just have to make sure that you are not sacrificing your work in the process.

Keeping it to one or two social networks on your iPad or iPhone is a great way to still keep up with friends and family while also not giving you too much of an excuse to not do your work.

So…

What do you use to stay connected on the go? What are your favorite social media apps? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@HannahHaefele)!

Thanks for reading!

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When you hit your last year of high school or college, you probably will experience a bit of senioritis. Senioritis is when someone in their last year of school is ready to be done. It’s more of a social thing and less of an actual diagnosable condition, and it can result in laziness, procrastination and more.

I know that I experienced some senioritis in high school, and I am experiencing it again as a college senior. This time, the senioritis is a bit different. I am not super ready to be done now, but I am having some feelings that I didn’t have four years ago.

In this post, I am going to talk about the differences between high school and college senioritis as well as some tips to get you through it.

High School Senioritis

In high school, my senioritis was motivated by the fact that I was going to turn 18 that following summer, and I knew and was excited about what I was doing after graduation. I had been at the same small high school for four years, with the same teachers, and for the most part the same classmates.

Four years is a long time to do something, and I was ready for a new chapter in my life. I had already started taking college classes online, and I was excited to get into the college life full time. It was time for me to become an adult (sort of).

Once I made the decision on where I would be going to college, everything I was doing in high school seemed kind of pointless. I knew what my next year was going to look like, and I was ready to start that new journey. Finishing out that last semester of high school, even as a part time student, was hard. I was more than ready to be done with everything and to start my college career.

College Senioritis

This time around, things are quite a bit different. For one, I will not be graduating from the college I went to as a freshman; I transferred from a community college to a university. I also don’t have concrete plans established for after graduation. All I know is that I will be moving back home while I start my career.

High school senioritis was fueled by excitement whereas college senioritis has been fueled by not knowing what is next. That can be exciting for some, but my Type A personality is having none of it. I don’t always like not knowing what I will be doing or where I will be living in the next year. Plans calm me.

As a college senior, I am doing everything I can to have an awesome last semester. I lucked into an amazing schedule which I take advantage of every day. One of my goals for this semester is to not just let it fly by, to treasure the moments I have left. I spent all of last semester just waiting for winter break, because I was not a fan of one of my required classes. That has changed.

Tips for Seniors

These tips are for any senior, college or high school.

Live in the Moment

In a few months, your time in school will be over. You and your friends will go your separate ways, and while you have texting and social media, it will be harder to stay super close. So, make sure you enjoy every minute you spend with your friends. Make some awesome memories!

Don’t Worry Too Much

Whether you have decided where you will be/what you will do next year, don’t worry. If you are unsure of your decision, you can always make a change if things don’t work out. If you have yet to make a decision, remember you still have time.

Take Things as They Come

Maybe you are denied admission to your dream school or you can’t find any jobs you want. Take some time to be sad, but know that there are other opportunities out there for you. It sucks to see a wrench thrown in your plans, but something else will come along. It might even be better.

Everyone Goes Through It

If you are stressing out about the future, odds are others are too. Talking to your friends can help ease both of your minds, because you are reminded that you are not alone. It’s hard to face now, but time will help as well as talking to people who have been there.

So…

Have you had senioritis? What tips do you have for graduating seniors? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@HannahHaefele)!